Frame assembly for internal combustion engines



March 14, 1961 A. E. KOLBE 2,974,660

I FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Sept. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. @a/er/ 6 i/e A TTOPNE Y March 14, 1961 E. KOLBE FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Sept. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOPA/EY This invention relates to frame assemblies for internal combustion engines and it is particularly related to the formation and relation of parts around the crankshaft and camshaft at the driving end of the engine.

.It is proposed to construct a frame assembly at the driving end of an internal combustion engine so that it will be more rigid, less expensive and easier to assemble and disassemble, will embody a smaller number of parts, will have approved operating characteristics and will provide a generally improved and better performing engine.

To accomplish these and other objectives, it is proposed to form the engine crankcase in halves to be bolted together to support the crankshaft and camshaft in bearings formed in rows in the crankcase members forming the halves .of the crankcase. The crankshaft and the cam! shaft may have end members projecting beyond the end wall of the crankcase and into an intermediate cavity formed between the end wall of the crankcase and an end wall of anannular clutch housing. The clutch housing may have an opening in the end wall thereof and providing communication between the intermediate cavity and an inner cavity in the clutch housing which is adapted to receive the clutch and flywheel assembly for the engine. The clutch housing is bolted to the crankcase at the extreme edges of the end wall of the crankcase, thereby rigidly securing the crankcase members together and providing an unusually strong beam structure embracing the assembled flywheel housing and crankcase members. The intermediate cavity is sealed from the clutch housing cavity by a seal in the opening in the end wall of the clutch housing, the seal being a one-piece seal of 360 arcuate extent and being pressfitted into the opening in a position to engage the adjacent end of the crankshaft. .A gasket also may be provided between the clutch housing andcrankcase members toprevent leakage of oil outwardly between the members from the intermediate cavity. It is proposed to drive the camshaft from the crankshaft by employing gears or other suitable means, engaging the ends of. the shafts Within the intermediate. cavity..

In the drawings: ,7

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of the driving end of an internal combustion engine embodyiug the features of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the engine, taken substantially in the plane of line 2-2 on Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

The engine ltilmay embody crankcase members 11 and 12 adaptedto be secured together by bolts 13 to form a crankcase 14 for the engine. The crankcase members 11 and 12' are formed on the mating edges thereof to provide oppositely disposed rows of bearing support openings adapted to provide bearings 16 to receive journals 17 supporting the crankshaft 18 and camshaft 19 fortheengine 10. Cylinders 15 project outwardly from the sidewalls of the crankcase members 11 and '12, the cylinders 15 having reciprocating pistons therein that are connected to the crankshaft by connecting rods 20. Projecting beyond the end wall 21 of the crankcase 14 are end members 22 and 23 of the crankshaft 18 and the camshaft 19 respectively. The end members 22 and 23 are adapted to project into an intermediate cavity 24 that may be formed between the end wall 21 and a part of the end wall 26 of a clutch and flywheel housing member 27 for the engine. The end wall 26 closes the end of an annular side wall 28 of the housing 27 to provide within the housing 27 a clutch and flywheel cavity indicated at 29. The flywheel housing 27 may be removably secured to the crankcase 14 by bolts 31 which extend around the intermediate cavity 24 near the outer peripheral upper and lower and side edges of the crankcase 14. The end wall 26 is reinforced outwardly of the central and lower parts thereof by radially disposed ribs 30. The oil pan 32 closing the open lower end of the crankcase 14 extends beyond the lower extremity of the end wall 21 and is secured by bolts 33 to the lower edge of the annular wall 28 beyond the intermediate cavity 24. A hub 34 having a driving pinion 36' formed at one end thereof may be pressfitted on the end member 22 of the crankshaft 18 and may be keyed to the end member at 37 to insure against relative rotation between the hub and the crankshaft. The pinion 36 is disposed in the intermediate cavity 24 while the hub 36 is disposed within an opening 38 that is formed in the end wall 26 in concentric relation to the end member 22. In order to insure against the leakage of lubricating oil from the cavity 24 to the cavity 29, it is proposed to employ a one piece lip seal 39 of 360 arcuate extent. The seal 39 may be formed of synthetic rubber or other suitable material and in the edge of which a supporting ring 41 is embedded. The supporting ring 41 has a flange 42, the inner part of which is adapted to engage the end wall 26 to properly position the seal 39 in the opening 38. The outer edge of the flange is spaced away from the end wall 26 to provide an annular groove 43 in which oil that might otherwise flow into the inner annular cavity in the seal may be drained away from the seal. An oil slinger 44 may be secured by a snap ring 46 against an annular shoulder 47 formed on the hub 34 directly inwardly 'from the outer edge of the flange 42 on the ring 41. It

will be apparent that when the oil slinger 44 rotates it will throw oil outwardly past the 'outer edge of the ring 41 and immediately adjacent the outer edge of the ring 41 so that no oil will be able to flow inwardly between the ring 41 and the oilslinger 44. The cavity 26 is further sealed against leakage of lubricating oil to the space surrounding the engine by a gasket 48 that is disposed between the end'wall 26 and the outer edges of the outer surface of thecrankcase end wall 21. A clutch and flywheel unit 49 for driving a motor vehicle or other device with which the engine 10 may be employed, is located in the cavity 29 within the housing member 27. The unit 49 may include the driving element 51 and a driven element 52, the former being provided with clutch engaging means 53 adapted to releaseably secure one element to the other for driving the vehicle. The clutch engaging means 53 tends to move clutch ring 54 toward the adjacent surface of a .clutch and flywheel member 56 to engage the friction ring 57 to hold the elementssof the clutch together to drive the vehicle. The clutch engaging means 53 is secured to the flywheel member 56 by bolts 58, and to the engaging ring or member 54 by bolts 59. The flywheel member 56 is secured to the hub 34 by a flexible disc 61 and by bolts 62 and a securing ring 63 between theheads of the bolt 62 and the disc 61. The outer edge of the disc 61 is spaced between the flywheel member 56 and another part 64 of the flywheel member 56, except that the outer edges where the two parts of the flywheel member are secured rigidly to the edge of the disc by rivets 66. The camshaft 19 is driven from the crankshaft 18 by a gear 67 which is located in the lower part of the cavity 24 and which is pressfitted on the end member 23 of the camshaft which projects into the cavity 24. The gear '23 also is secured against rotation on the camshaft end member 23 by a key 68. The gear 67 meshes with the pinion 36 on hub 34. The driven element 52 of the clutch and flywheel unit 49 may be supported on a shaft 71 having a spline connection 72 with the driven element 52 and a pilot connection 73 with the end 22 of the crankshaft 18.

To assemble the frame assembly it will be apparent that the crankshaft 18 and camshaft 19 may be secured in the bearings 16 by securing the crankcase members 11' and 12 together upon the journals 17. The bolts 13 may be employed for this purpose. It will be noted that the crankcase 14 extends considerably above and below the crankshaft and camshaft and that the oil pan 32 covers only the lower open end of the crankcase. It will be further noted that the flywheel housing 28 in the regions reinforced by the ribs 30 extends above the upper ex-' tremity of the crankcase, on each side of the crankcase and downwardly to the lower extremity of the crankcase. When the flywheel housing 28 is secured to the crankcase by the bolts 31 it will be apparent that the crankcase and the flywheel housing form a very rigid beam structure that extends a considerable distance below the crankshaft to provide an extremely rigid mounting in which the crankshaft may rotate during the operation of the engine. The cavity 24 also tends to make the engine frame assembly more rigid since the cavity is formed by spaced walls of the crankcase and the flywheel housing that extend obliquely toward one another at the mating surfaces secured together by the bolts 31. The housing 28 is a unitary annular housing that is inherently resistant to bending, particularly when the end wall of the housing is reinforced by the ribs 30 and is rigidly secured to the end of the crankcase around the peripheral edges of the crankcase and throughout the greater extent of the end wall of the clutch housing. The gear 67 and the hub 34 and gear 36 both are adapted to be pressfitted on the crankshaft and camshaft ends 22 and 23 respectively. This may be done before the housing 28 is secured to the crankcase 14. The seal 39 also may be assembled in the opening 38 before the housing 28 is secured to the crankcase 24. Under such circumstances it will be apparent that a one-piece seal of 360 arcuate extent may be used. With the seal so assembled the housing 28 may be secured to the crankcase 14 by securing the bolts 31. Thereafter the flywheel and clutch unit 49 may be installed in the cavity 29 by securing the bolts 62 on the securing ring 63 and the hub 39. It will be noted that the clutch and flywheel unit 49 and the shaft 71 may be assembled on the hub 34 by axial movement within the housing 28 and with respect to the end 22 of the crankshaft 18.

What is claimed is:

1. A frame assembly for an internal combustion engine and comprising a crankcase having bearing means formed therein, a crankshaft and a camshaft disposed in said crankcase and having journal means formed thereon, said crankshaft and said camshaft having end members projecting beyond said crankcase, means securing said bearing means on said journal means for rotatably supporting said crankshaft and said camshaft in said crankcase, a housing member formed to provide a pair of cavities and an opening connecting said cavities, means removably securing and sealing said housing member to said crankcase with said end members of said crankshaft and said camshaft disposed in one of said cavities with said crankshaft end member in alignment with said opening, flywheel and clutch means disposed in the other of said cavities, means removably securing said flywheel and clutch means to said crankshaft end member within said opening, and sealing means disposed in said opening and engaging and sealing said crankshaft end member relative to said housing member, said sealing means being unitary and continuous throughout the peripheral extent thereof and being secured within said opening, and means within said one of said cavities and associated with said end members for driving said camshaft end member from said crankshaft end member, said driving means being disposed on said end members by axial movement relative to said end members, said flywheel and clutch means and said housing member and said sealing means being disposed on said crankcase by axial movement relative to said crankshaft end member and by securing said securing means for said housing member and said securing means for said flywheel and clutch means.

2. A frame assembly for an internal combustion engine and comprising a crankcase having bearing means formed therein, a crankshaft and a camshaft disposed in said crankcase and having journal means formed thereon, said crankshaft and said camshaft having end member's projecting beyond said crankcase, means securing said bearing means on said journal means for rotatably supporting said crankshaft and said camshaft in said crankcase, a housing member formed to provide a pair of cavities and an opening connecting said cavities, means removably securing and sealing said housing member to said crankcase with said end members disposed in one of said cavities, a hub member forming a part of and secured on said crankshaft end member in alignment with said opening, flywheel and clutch means disposed in the other of said cavities, means removably securing said flywheel and clutch means to said hub member within said opening, and sealing means disposed in said opening and engaging and sealing said hub member relative to said housing member, said sealing means being unitary and continuous throughout the peripheral extent thereof and being secured within said opening, and means within said one of said cavities and associated with said end members and said hub member for driving said camshaft end member from said crankshaft end member, said driving means and said hub member being disposed on said end members by axial movement relative to said end embers, said flywheel and clutch means and said housing member and said sealing means being disposed on said crankcase by axial movement relative to said crankshaft end member and by securing said securing means for said housing member and said securing means for said flywheel and clutch means.

3. A frame assembly for an internal combustion engine and comprising a crankcase having crankshaft and camshaft bearing means formed therein, said crankshaft bearing means arranged in rows above said camshaft bearing means, a crankshaft and a camshaft disposed in said crankcase and having journal means formed thereon, said crankshaft and said camshaft having end members projecting beyond said crankcase, means securing said hearing means on said journal means for rotatably supporting said crankshaft and said camshaft in said crankcase with said crankshaft disposed above said camshaft, a housing member formed to provide a pair of cavities and an opening connecting said cavities, means removably securing and sealing said housing member to said crankcase with said end members disposed in one of said cavities and said housing member extending downwardly below said camshaft and being secured to the lower extremity of said crankcase and with said crankshaft end member in alignment with said opening, flywheel and clutch means disposed in the other of said cavities, means removably securing said flywheel and clutch means to said crankshaft end member within said opening, sealing means disposed in said opening and engaging and sealing said crankshaft end member relative to said housing member, and means within said one of said cavities and associated with said end membersfor driving said camshaft end member from said crankshaft end member, said driving means hemeans for said housing member and said securing means for said flywheel and clutch means.

4. A frame assembly for an internal combustion engine and comprising a crankcase including a pair of oppositely disposed crankcase members, said crankcase members each having crankshaft and camshaft bearing means formed therein in rows with one row being above another and with the bearing means in each row being partly in one and partly in the other of said crankcase members, a crankshaft'and a camshaft disposed one above the other in said crankcase and having journal means formed thereon, said crankshaft and said camshaft having end mem-' bers projecting beyond said crankcase, means securing said crankcase members together and securing said bearing means on said journal means for rotatably supporting said crankshaft and said camshaft in said crankcase, a housing member having an annular side wall and an en-. closing end wall and being formed to provide a cavity within said walls and an opening in said end wall communicating with said cavity, means removably securing said housing member to said crankcase members with said crankshaftend member disposed in alignment with said opening, said end wall of said housing member being a formed to extend upwardly and laterally beyond said ends of said crankcase members and covering the ends of said crankcase members, said removably securing means securing said crankcase members together at said ends, flywheel and clutch means disposed in said cavity, means associated with said flywheel and clutch means and disposed opposite said opening in said housing for removably securing said flywheel and clutch means to said crankshaft end member, an intermediate cavity formed around said crankshaft and camshaft end members and between said housing member and said crankcase members, means in said cavity and associated with said crankshaft and camshaft and members for driving said camshaft from said crankshaft, and sealing means associated with said crankshaft end member and said housing member and said crankcase members for sealing said intermediate cavity. against the leakage of lubricating oil to said housing member cavity and to the space around said housing member and said crankcase mem- 5 A frame assembly for an internal combustion engine and comprising a crankcase including a pair of oppositely disposed crankcase members, said crankcase members each having crankshaft and camshaft bearing means formed therein in rows with one row being above another and with the bearing means in each row being partly in one and partly in the other of said crankcase members, a crankshaft and a camshaft disposed one above the other in said crankcase and having journal means formed thereon, said crankshaft having an end member projecting beyond said crankcase, means securing said crankcase members together and securing said bearing means on said journal means for rotatably. supporting said crankshaft and said camshaft in said crankcase, a housing memher having an annular side wall and an enclosing end wall and being formed to provide a cavity within said walls and an opening in said end wall communicating with said cavity, means removably securing said housing member to said crankcase members with said crankshaft end member disposed in alignment with said opening, said end wall of said housing member being formed to extend upwardly and laterally beyond said ends of said crankcase members and covering the ends of said crankcase members, said removably securing means securing said crankcase members together at said ends, radial rib means formed on said end wall of said housing member outside of said crankcase members and reinforcing said housing member beyond said crankcase members, flywheel and clutch means disposed in said cavity, means associated with said flywheel and clutch means and disposed opposite said opening in said housing for removably securing said flywheel and clutch means to said crankshaft end member, means for driving said camshaft from said crankshaft, and sealing means associated with said crankshaft end member and said housing member for sealing said crankcase against the leakage of oil from said crankcase to said housing member cavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

